Gas burner



Jim@ 13s 3967 D, J. MCLAREN 3,324,925

GAS BURNER' Filed June 23, 1965 INVENTOR. @Aaa/w J /Wfmm/ June i3, i957 D. J. MCL/AREA! GAS BURNER 2 Sheets-Sham, 2

Filed June 23, 1965 l N VEN TOR. @4V/0 if Wm/@wmf BY United States Patent O 3,324,925 GAS BURNER David J. McLaren, Bradley, Ill., assigner to A. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Filed .lune 23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,264 2 Claims. (Cl. 153-116) ABSTRACT F THE DESCLSURE A gas burner for a water heater having a generally cup-shaped body and including a condensate collector head having a continuous convex lower surface spaced upwardly from the cup shaped body by integral means which include extensions which are press fit into complementary recesses in said body to define radial gas ports of uniform dimension having V-shaped outer orifices defined by the peripheral outer edges of the body and the head.

In a gas-fired hot `water heater, the gas burner is located beneath the lower hea-d of the tank in a combusion chamber. In many hot water heaters the burner is inserted into the combusion chamber through an opening in the base of the jacket which surrounds the water tank. With this type of installation, a relatively large opening is required in the base and the large opening `may provide eX- cessive air iiow to the burner or the burner flame may flash down through the opening. In addition with lwater heaters of this type, the gas burner generally includes an elongated venturi tube and a generally dish-shaped burner head which serves to spread the flame in a radial direction. Because of the length `of the venturi tube, a substantial height is required for the combustion chamber which increases the overall height of the hot water heater itself.

The present invention is directed to a gas burner `which is of simple construction and provides an improved flame pattern. More specifically, the burner includes a generally cup-shaped body which is connected to a gas inlet pipe by a bayonet-type connection. The gas inlet pipe extends horizontally through an opening in the jacket wall and then upwardly along the outside of the jacket to a conventional shutotlC valve. The cup-shaped burner body has a series of primary air intake holes and the upper edge of the body is provided with an outwardly extending tiange. Spaced upwardly from the iiange is a dish-shaped head having a central depression to collect condensate. The head is spaced from the flange of the burner body by a series of elongated ribs or teeth which extend downwardly from the head and are received within correspondingly shaped recesses in the upper surface of the flange. The ribs are elongated in a radial direction and have a -varying width so that the spaces between adjacent ribs tdeiine gas ports of substantially uniform dimension.

The gas burner of the invention is an inexpensive construction being formed of a minimum number of parts, The burner can be readily assembled to the gas inlet pipe 'Joy a simple bayonet-type connection and this facilitates maintenance and replacement of the burner.

rhe head is spaced upwardly from the flange of the burner body by the elongated ribs which not only accurately space the member apart, but also define parallel and symmetrically shaped gas ports which provide the desired llame pattern.

As the burner can be installed through an opening in the side wall of the jacket rather than through the base of the jacket and as no venturi tube is required, the depth of the combustion chamber can be substantially reduced,

assises' resulting in a decrease in the overall height of the hot water heater.

With the burner of the invention, no control of primary air flow is required for normal operating conditions, and the burner is capable of utilizing a gas input in` the range of 25,000 to 50,000 B.t.u. per hour without adjustment of the primary air flow.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplating of carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a hot water heater with parts broken away in section and incorporating the gas burner construction of the invention;

FG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the gas burner assembly;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FlG. 4 is an enlarged exploded View of the gas burner and fitting with parts broken away in section; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom View of the burned head showing the spacer ribs.

The drawings illustrate a gas-fired hot Water heater 1 which comprises a tank 2 adapted to contain water to be heated. The tank 2 is enclosed by an outer jacket 3 or casing and a layer of insulation 4 is located in the space between the tank 2 and the packet 3.

Water is introduced into the tank 1 through a dip tube 5 and heated water is withdrawn from the tank through a nipple 6 located in the upper portion of the tank.

A combustion chamber 7 is defined by the lower head S of the tank and the base 9 of packet 3, and a gas burner 10 is located within the combustion chamber. The products of combustion are conducted upwardly through a flue 11 which is located centrally of the tank 2. The base 9 of the jacket 3 is supported above the ground or foundation by a pedestal 12.

Gas is suplied to the burner 10 through a generally U-shaped tube 13 `which is supported above the base 9 by a saddle 14. The outer end of the tube 13 is connected to a conventional gas shutoff valve mechanism 15 which is located on the outside of the jacket 3. In addition, a conventional thermostat 16 is located within the bottom portion of the tank 2 and is operably connected to the gas valve mechanism 15 to open the valve and permit the flow of gas to the burner when the water temperature falls beneath the preset value.

A standard pilot 17 and thermocouple 18 are mounted by a bracket 19 on the tube 13. The pilot 17 and the valve mechanism 15 are of conventional construction and, in themselves, form no part of the present invention.

The gas tube 13 is connected to the burner 10 by a fitting 20. The fitting 20 is provided With a central flanged opening 21 which receives the inner end of the tube 13. Opposite portions of the fitting 20 are provided with upstanding flanges 22, while the portions of fitting 2li extending between the flanges are recessed, as indicated by 23, and provided with generally L-shaped locking lugs 24. The lugs 24 are adapted to be received within recesses 25 bordering a central hole 26 in the bottom of the cupshaped burner body 27, and by rotating the burner body, the lugs 24 will be a bayonet-type of connection, engage the bottom of the body and connect the body to the fitting 20. As best shown in FIG. 4, the bottom surface of the body 27 is provided with a pair of upstanding ears 28 which border the recesses 25 and serve as stops to limit the rotational movement of the body 27 on the fitting 2G.

Primary air is introduced into the gas stream through a series of air holes 29 which are formed in the body 27 above fitting 20.

The upper end of the body 27 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 30 and the upper surface of the tiange is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced, elongated recesses 31. A burner head 32 is spaced above the flange 30 and the head 32 is formed with a series of circumferentially spaced ribs or teeth 33 corresponding in arrangement and size to the recesses 31. As best shown in FIG. 4, the ribs 33 are received within the recesses 31 and the spaces 34 between adjacent ribs 33 form gas outlet ports.

To connect the head 32 to the ange 30, a number of the ribs 33 are provided with downwardly extending projections 35 which are received by a press-tit engagement in a series of holes formed in the bottom of corresponding recesses 31. Engagement of the projections 35 with the holes in the ange 30 serves to positively connect the head 32 to the flange 30.

The central portion of the upper surface of head 32 is provided with a depression 36 which serves to collect condensation. In addition, the outer rim or margin of the head 32 is provided with an upwardly inclined ange 37 which also aids in collecting condensation.

To provide the desired flame pattern, the periphery of the flange 30 is inclined downwardly, as indicated by 33, and the inclined edge 38 cooperates with the rim 37 on head 32 to provi-de the desired ame characteristics.

Air is introduced into the combustion chamber 7 through a series of holes 39 formed in jacket base 9.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the ribs or teeth 33 are elongated in a radial direction and have a progressively increasing width in an outwardly extending direction. This insures that the ports 34 between adjacent ribs 33 will be symmetrical in shape and be of substantially uniform width throughout their radial length. The ribs 33 provide the desired port depth to give a pressure drop across the port and aid in providing more elicient flame characteristics. j

The lower head 9 is provided lwith a series of small air inlet holes 39 and air is drawing through holes 39 to the combustion chamber 7 and then into the burner through openings 29 in body 27.

The gas burner of the invention is of simple construction consisting merely of two parts, the burner body and the head, which are readily connected to the gas tube by means of the bayonet-type connection provided by the fitting 20.

The burner does not require the use of a conventional venturi tube and this reduces the overall height of the burner with the result that the height of the combustion chamber can be reduced, and thus reducing the overall height of the hot Water heater.

As an added advantage, the gas burner can be installed through the side wall of the jacket 3 rather than through `an opening in the base 9 of the jacket. This not only facilitates maintenance and repair, but eliminates the inherent disadvantages of a bottom-installed burner. With a burner which is installed through the base of the jacket, `the large hole in the base often will permit too great an air ow and reduce burner efficiency. Moreover, the ame vmay ash down through the hole so that oor shielding may be required. These disadvantages are eliminated with the present burner which can be installed through the side wall of the jacket, and the large opening in the base of 'the jacket can be eliminated.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularliI Pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. A gas burner assembly, comprising a burner body including a cup-shaped member having an open top, said member having a gas inlet hole in the lower surface thereof and having a series of air inlet openings in the side wall thereof, a rim extending outwardly from the upper end of said cup-shaped member, said rirn having a peripheral edge extending downwardly at an angle to the horizontal, a generally circular head disposed above the rim, said head having a peripheral edge extending upwardly at an angle to the horizontal, and a series of circumferentially spaced members disposed between the rim and the head with the spaces between said members detining a series of gas outlet ports having generally V- shaped outer orifices defined by the peripheral edges of said rim and said head, said members being elongated in a radial direction and the space between adjacent members being substantially uniform in a radial direction.

2. A gas burner assembly, comprising a burner body including a cup-shaped section having an open upper end and having a gas inlet hole and having a series of air inlet openings, said body having a flange extending outwardly from the upper portion of said section above said air inlet opening, a head disposed above the flange, said head having a generally convex continuous surface, a series of circumferentialy disposed spacing members integral with the lower surface of said head and contacting the upper surface of said flange to dene radial gas outlet ports, and complementary press t locking means removably connecting said burner body and said head, including projections extending downwardly from said head adapted to tit in recesses in said flanges.

References Cited FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner ROBERT A. DUA, Examiner. 

1. A GAS BURNER ASSEMBLY, COMPRISING A BURNER BODY INCLUDING A CUP-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN TOP, SAID MEMBER HAVING A GAS INLET HOLE IN THE LOWER SURFACE THEREOF AND HAVING A SERIES OF AIR INLET OPENINGS IN THE SIDE WALL THEREOF, A RIM EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID CUP-SHAPED MEMBER, SAID RIM HAVING A PERIPHERAL EDGE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AT AN ANGLE TO THE HORIZONTAL, A GENERALLY CIRCULAR HEAD DISPOSED ABOVE THE RIM, SAID HEAD HAVING A PERIPHERAL EDGE EXTENDING UPWARDLY AT AN ANGLE TO THE HORIZONTAL, AND A SERIES OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED MEMBERS DISPOSED BETWEEN THE RIM AND THE HEAD WITH THE SPACES BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS DEFINING A SERIES OF GAS OUTLET PORTS HAVING GENERALLY VSHAPED OUTER ORIFICES DEFINED BY THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF SAID RIM AND SAID HEAD, SAID MEMBERS BEING ELONGATED IN A RADIAL DIRECTION AND THE SPACE BETWEEN ADJACENT MEMBERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM IN A RADIAL DIRECTION. 